A LETTER TO WALNUT STREET CHURCH OF CHRIST

Chris McCurley: love to go to my mailbox and walk to it, open the metal squeaky door, and see mail in my mailbox. I especially love to see the mail when it's got my name on it. And I do like that. I like to get the mail, like to open the mail, and I'm like, look man, somebody sent me something. She said, Chad, that's junk mail. I said, but it looks like they wrote it. She said, Chad, it's printed. It's a computer. I still like to open it. Some mail is junk. Some mail is exciting, it's especially exciting to get an invitation. And you know what? The purpose statement tonight for our lesson is come and see the letter of Christ. Come and see the letter of Christ because you are that letter. And Christ gets excited to see us bearing His name as we are His letter. It just so happens that I found a written to Walnut Street Church of Christ and I wanted to read it to you. It says to Walnut Street Church of Christ from the world. To all the Christians at Walnut Street Church of Christ, first let us introduce ourselves. We are a conglomerate of governmental employees, civilian doctors, nurses, public school systems, politicians, atheists, creationists, scientists, banks, courts, prisons, neighborhoods, gangs, law enforcement, mayors, business owners, retired homemakers, and the homeless. We would like to encourage you by thanking you Christians. We may not agree with you Christ followers, however, you all are the best employees, the most compassionate healthcare providers, the most inspirational teachers, the most honest business owners. and the greatest influencers of our community that we know. We recognize you, Christians, are growing in strength and number, and we realize that people are leaving their current position of belief to join the cause of Christ because of you. Although we would like to ask you to talk about Christ less often, we know that you will not listen. We dare not discourage you though because you Christians are the best people that we know. Kind regards, the world. Have you ever received a letter like this? I know I haven't. Why not? Open your Bible to 2 Corinthians chapter 3. We will spend our entire time there tonight as we go through an expository sermon and allow the text to pop out and show us and edify us as it's intended to do. Try to get my notes out to you tonight. It's a colorful array of what 2 Corinthians chapter 3 verses 1 through 18 looks like to a preacher. And so you'll see highlighting and notes all throughout, and this is what we are going to spend our time on tonight. In 2 Corinthians chapter 3, I'll be reading from the new King James Version. It begins in verse number 1 with, do we begin again to commend ourselves, or do we need, as some others, epistles of commendation to you or letters of commendation from you. You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men. Let me stop there for a moment because sometimes when we read the scriptures, we have to ask ourselves questions. And the first one is, who is the we? Who's the we that Paul, do we begin again to tell you? We're going to see this we use that's used again in verse four. Who is the we? Well, it's the ones writing, the ones plural writing, Paul and Timothy at least. I'd like to challenge you to think that it could be even beyond Paul and Timothy because according to Acts chapter 18 verses 1 through 5, Paul and Timothy, Aquila, Priscilla, and Silas help establish the church at Corinth. Perhaps it means all of them. But certainly, we, being Paul and Timothy. Verse 3, clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink, but by the Spirit of the living God. Not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of flesh, that is of the heart, which is not our blood pumping organ, but the mind. That's the heart, our mind. As we have started examining, began this passage, I want us to keep in mind three points tonight that will come to us. Come and see the ministry of the Spirit of the Lord. That's point one. Point number two, come and see the liberty found in the Spirit of the Lord. Point number three, come and see the transformation through the Spirit of the Lord. Now what I just read to you is not on your paper. What you have on your paper is the scriptures with highlights and notes, not my actual sermon notes. point number one, come and see the ministry of the Spirit of the Lord. We begin this journey in verse three. You are an epistle, you are a letter. Who's the you? Christians, us. Written to Corinth, but this is applicable to all of us. We are a letter of Christ, not written on tablets of stone, but by the Spirit of the living God. All right, verse four. We have such trust through Christ toward God, not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, But our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter, but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives. Let me read verse 7 so we can bring this together. But if the ministry of death written and engraved on stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not steadily look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away, let me stop there. We are now in the middle of the come and see the ministry of the Lord. It is different than the Old Covenant. It is the New Covenant. It is not the letter written on tablets of stone, but it is the law of Christ by the Spirit, where? Written on our hearts. How do I know that? You see, that word New Covenant is not often used. It's highlighted in green for you. It's not often used in the New Testament. The book of Hebrews does talk about it. But this is a direct connection to Jeremiah 31 31. Behold the days are coming declares the Lord will I will establish a new covenant. Not like the old covenant. So now what Paul is is is helping us see what the Holy Spirit is helping us see is that this ministry is a new ministry. We are part of a new ministry by the spirit of the living God and the spirit brings Life, this ministry is more than words. See, what really is being addressed here is a heart problem. I'm glad that the word heart is used at the end of verse 3. Because what took place for God's people over the years as we examine the Old Testament? There was nothing wrong with the law. But the law in of itself condemned people. It showed them their sin. But what it became for them was a checklist. And people began to worship the letter, to worship the Word, and to further distance themselves with their relationship with God. And it became more of a work, an inconvenience, and something they needed to just do to get it done, to get the sacrifices over with, to make the homage, the trip to... to Israel, to Jerusalem, to the temple, just to get it over with. Not so in this new covenant. This new covenant is about life. This new covenant is about you wanting to be a part of God's plan. That you want to worship God. Come and see the letter of Christ. Our second point tonight is come and see the liberty found in the Spirit of the Lord. Come and see the liberty found in the Spirit of the Lord. Verse number eight. How will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation, that's the Old Testament, that's the Old Covenant, the law, for if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even if what was made glorious had no glory in this respect because of the glory that excels for, If what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. Therefore, what is the therefore therefore? It's because of the ministry of righteousness, verse 12, because of the ministry of righteousness that we are a part of. We have such hope, and we use great boldness of speech, unlike Moses, who put a veil over his face so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the end of what was passing away. But their minds were blinded, for until this day, the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. In Christ. in verse 14, through Christ in verse 15, but even to this day when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Your version might say freedom, and that is excellent. Freedom. Liberty. In Christ. So building off of point one, come and see the ministry of the Spirit of the Lord. Why? Because it is the ministry of righteousness. Why? Because it is sufficient. It is adequate. Why? Because it's part of the new covenant. Because it's life. Okay, I'm coming to see the ministry of the Lord. What am I now going to experience? What's next? Well, come and see the liberty. Come and see the freedom. In the Spirit of the Lord, the freedom from what? Freedom from the law that God's people were held captive to and a prisoner thereof. Freedom from what? Freedom from sin. Freedom from the burden of carrying a sacrifice for so many miles. because you've got to bring it to the temple because Jesus can forgive us right here in Dixon County, Tennessee. freedom. For freedom, Christ has set us free. Therefore, because of that, what is our response? Highlighted in green for you in verse 12. We have such expectation. The word hope means expectation. Because of this, the ministry of righteousness, the freedom in Jesus Christ, We have expectations to be saved, not of our own, but because of Him. We have expectations. We have hope. What else do we have in this liberty found in the Spirit of the Lord? We have boldness of speech. We have courageous speech, speech that cannot be stopped by the hands of men. We speak about what we know and what we've seen and what we've heard. That Jesus Christ, He is the Lord, He is Messiah, He died for our sins, God raised Him from the dead. Amen. What's beautiful about this in verse 17, which is the staple for point two. Now the Lord is the Spirit. You see, we're not separating. The Lord is the Spirit, so we're talking about the Lord when we're talking about the Spirit. The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Well, let me ask you something. Where is the Spirit of the Lord not? I'm going to tell you what the psalmist had to say. in Psalm 139 verse 7. shall I go from your spirit? Where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in She-O, you are there. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me and the light about me be night, even the darkness is not dark to you. The night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. The Lord is every... He's omnipresent. The Spirit of the Lord is everywhere. And that is of great benefit to us. Because in America, we are a very transient culture now. Many people don't stay in the same places that they were born or raised in. They move to different cities, different states even, and move multiple times throughout their lives. But as they do, as the Christian moves, the Spirit of the Lord is there, and there is liberty. Come and see the transformation by the Spirit of the Lord. Look at verse number 18. But we all, with unveiled face, Beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord are being transformed into the same image. That's Christ. Talking about Christ. Being transformed in the same image. From glory to glory. That's from splendor to splendor. So from something great to something even better. Just as by the Spirit of the Lord. Something interesting happens in verse 16 which connects us to Acts 17 verse 30. For now, God declares that all men everywhere should repent. You see the word turn? It's in the New King James Version. Nevertheless, when one turns to the Lord, that's what repent means. Repent doesn't mean to say I'm sorry. Repent means to turn and run to the Lord for rescue. That includes sorry. It's much more than sorry because it's followed by action. And that action running to the Lord and submitting to God who's all sufficient and all adequate, who supplies the Spirit, who gives us liberty, that same Lord transforms us. Metamorph is the word, the Greek word. He changes us. and to someone new, someone different, someone that looks like Him. Is this making sense to you? You are the letter of Christ. Glory to Glory. We are transformed into the same image from splendor to splendor. Notice the note with the thick black arrow going across the right bottom part of the page. Transformation doesn't stop. Splendor to splendor. Glory to Glory has an eternal echo attached to it. to where you really can't find the end of it, which is why we have a life-long submission and transformation in Jesus Christ. Amen! It's exciting, it's wonderful, I am glad that I can know, you can know that we are image-bearers and therefore you are, we are the letter of Christ. I'm encouraged to think Even as I'm given another day here on this earth that spins. Things are getting better for me spiritually. From glory to glory. Now obviously, I made this letter up that I read earlier. But boy, wouldn't that be nice to receive such a letter like this from the world. Letters are written or typed. Some letters are sent. Fewer letters are read and even fewer letters are saved. Fewer letters are saved. Are you worth reading? You are. a letter of Christ. You bear His name as you walk through the world. Are you worth reading? What does your letter say? I hope it's an invitation. I hope it's an invite. To come and see. Come and see a letter. No. Come and see what the spirit of the living God is doing in his people. Come and see what the spirit of the Lord will do in your life as you experience the ministry. of righteousness, as you experience the liberty in the Spirit of the Lord, and as you experience the transformation by and through the Spirit of the Lord. It has never been a better time to be a Christ follower, to be that letter, than right now tonight. Jesus wants to save you. You have an opportunity right now. to confess his sweet name, to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins, to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, which is promised for you and for all those who are far off, and to be added to his church and to be the letter of Christ and to see what he does in your life. Won't you come forward right now as we stand and as we sing.

2 Corinthians 3 · chapter mention 2 Corinthians 3 · chapter mention 2 Corinthians 3 · chapter mention Acts 18:1–5 Psalms 139:7 Acts 17:30